Axminster loom



w. BIXBY 1,924,904

AXMINSTER LOOM Filed Aug. 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 29, 1933.

INVENTOR mm 29. BY

ATTORNEY Aug. 29, 1933.

W. BIXBY AXMINSTER LOOM Filed Aug. 6, 1931 2 Sheets$heet 2 INVENTOR B BY ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 29, 1933 TES 'PAVTEN 'r o FicE AXMINSTER LOOM falter Bixby, Boston, Mass.

Application August 6, 1931. Serial No.

. f4 Claims. (c1; 139- 9 7 This invention relates to the art of tuft weaving such as is practiced in the weaving of Axminster carpets in which successive rows of short tufts of 'yarn are incorporated into the fabric being-woven to form a pile whose colored tufts are so arranged as'to form the pattern of the carpet. Each row of pattern-forming tufts is inserted in a tuft supply frame that is releasably suspended from travelling pattern chains and carries a revoluble yarn supply spool on which is wound, according topredetermined pattern, side by side different yarn or tuft elements whose free ends, from which the tufts] are severed, are separated and guided by a row of side by side guideseither in the form of individual tubes or otherwise, according 'to the means used for inserting each successive row of tufts between the appropriate warp threads of the loom. For complex patterns hundreds of these tuft 2O supply frames are supported, one after another between a pair'of endless parallelintermittently moving patternichains which, to economize space,

follow a devious or looped path. The devious course of the'pattern'chains results in causing a great deal of shock and vibrationtothe suspended tuft frames as they are carried" along andthis tends to cause accidental or undesired rotation of the yarn spoolfwhich in one direction would result in withdrawing the free ends of the tuft yarn 'from' their guides, or in the other direction in unwinding the yarn and'producingan objectionable slackness thereof.

Qn-theotherhand, when the tuft frame" is de-' tachedlfrom'the chains by the usual transfer mechanism tob'ring the yarn tuft ends to de- 'livery position, it is desirable that the yarn s'pool shall be slightly retarded-againstrotation but only enough to producea light tension on the yarn ends being drawn off for incorporation intothe fabric." 4

It has beenthe common practice to provide a friction brake'comprising usually 'a'flexible spring "arm carrying atits free end a. brake pad pressing against the rim of thefyarn spool head to furnish this tension and incidentally prevent rotation of the spool while its tuft frame is in the chains, but to prevent such accidental rotation a fairly strong pressure should be exerted against the spool by the brake and this creates an undue tension upon the yarn when the yarn is drawn off to supply tufts to the fabric.

The present invention deals with'this situation by providing simple and efficient means by which a relatively strong pressure is maintainedupon the yarn spool so long as the tuft frame is sup- T-top of the carrier chain."

ported inthe carrier chains while a'relatively light retarding of the tensioning. pressure is maintained on the yarn's po'ol when the tuft frame is supported by the transfer mechanism whichde taches the tuft frame from the yarn spool to carry it .to tuft-delivering position.

This and other features of the invention will be particularly described in the following specification and'will be defined in theclaims hereto annexed." 'In the accompanying drawings are illustrated some of the forms that may be used'embodying the principles of this invention, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing one end portion of a tube frame and the associated transfer 7 clutch or member in position-to move in to en-- v gage and detach the tuft frame from the carrier chains. I I

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the clutch shown in actual supporting engagement with the end ofthe tuft frame.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the left hand end of a t'uft frame from which the spool has been re- 'rnoved"to show the spool locking brake.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig.1 showing a modified form of construction for applying a yarn tensioningpressure when the spool locking pressure isrelieved. I

Fig. 5 isa plan viewof the tuft frame as shown in "Fig. 4".Withfthe spool'removed to show the spool locking brake. I Y J 1 Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 are detail views illustrating a modified'form of spool brake.

In the practice of the invention as illustrated in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 of the drawings, the'tuft frame illustrated is of the well known type and embraces a longitudinal carrier bar 1 forming the back bone of the tuft frame provided along one side with a seriesof tuft-receiving and guiding delivery tubes 2'andprovided at each end with a well known ype of suspension bracket 3 provided with a spool bearing ear or extension 3 for receiving the journal of the spool and with aho'ok latch 4,, which normally swings outward'overthe The yarn spool'5 comprises the usual cylindrical barrel and end heads provided at its central axis with a bearing gudgeon 5 for rotatably mounting the spool in the tuft frame.

What is called the clutch element of the transfer mechanism comprises a vertical plate 7 having outwardly projecting supporting pins or rods 8 and having projecting from its inner side an underneath cam member 10, which passes beneath the carrier bar 1, as shown in Fig; 2, to a raise the tuft frame slightly and support its weight and also having spaced side wings 9 adapted to overlap the front and rear faces of the carrier bar 1 to form a receiving seat and cradle by which the tuft frame is detached from the chains by the inward pressure against the hook latch f and may be carried to tuft-delivering position in the loom. As the free yarn ends, comprising the tufts, are severed sufficiently below the delivery ends of the guides, the tuft frame is then restored to the carrier chains all according to well known practice.

To prevent accidental rotation of the yarn spool zhile it is supported on the carrier chains. 11, there is attached to the top face of the carrier bar a spring arm 21 to which is secured the usual brake pad 22 in position to press upward against the spool rim and exert a locking pressure thereon. According to this form of the invention, this arm 21 has a relatively light tension or pressure against the spool sufficient to apply and maintain the desired yarn tensioning retardation upon the spool, but not sufficient to prevent accidental rotation of the spool while carried by the chains. A supplemental spring 23 is arranged beneath the tensioning arm 21 and, as shown in Fig.3, has a crosswise extension at 23 giving it a T shape, the

.laterally projecting members 23 being carried out sufliciently beyond the front and back of the carrier bar 1 to permit projecting lugs 20 on opposite sides of the transfer clutch '7 to overhang these extension members and depress them as the clutch moves into tuft frame supporting position indicated in Fig. 2. This action of the transfer mechanism, when releasing or detaching the tuft frame from its carrier chains, serves to relieve the spool locking pressure while maintaining a tensioning pressure or friction upon the spool so long as the tuft frame is supported by the transfer mechanism.

In Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 is illustrated a'modified arrangement for accomplishing the same object. 7

In this case the tuft frame embodies the same elements of construction as abovedescribed but the spool locking. brake comprises a relatively stiff or heavy pressure spring 25 carrying preferably a friction brake pad 26"and this spring arm 25 is provided with the front and rear'extensions 25 giving. it a T shape. The pressure relieving lugs or cams 20 engage these exten-' sions 25 in the same manner already described, but in this case'depress the brake pad itself out ofv contact with the rim of the yarn spool.

Tensioning retardation in this case proportioned to the desired tension'on the yarn is'furnished by one or more plungers 27 slidably mounted in the upper portion of the transfer clutch '1 in position to pass in front of, or behind,

' the suspension bracket 3 to engage the outer face of the yarn spool head. The plunger is provided near its inner end with acollar .or shoulder 2'7 against which the inner end of the helical spring 28 presses while the outer end of said spring thrusts against the inner face of the detaching clutch 7. The outerlend of the plunger is threaded and is provided with a limiting thrust nut 29 held in adjusted position by a jam nut, while the tension of spring 28 may be varied by changing the adjustment of the collar 2'7 through turning its stop nut 27 on this threaded portion of the plunger.

In Figs. 6 and 7 there is shown a modified form of spool locking brake which may be substituted for the form shown in Fig. 4. In this case the brake comprises a reversely bent or bowed spring strip secured to the carrier bar to extend transversely of. its length in the plane of the spool rim. The brake pad 31 is secured to this loop spring intermediate of its free arm in position to engage the spool rim while its free end is widened and curved as shown at 32 to be engaged'bythe brake-relieving member or cam 20 of the transfer clutch.

What I claim is:

a 1. The combination with carrier chains, a tuft frame carrying a revoluble yarn spool and re leasably suspended from the carrier chains, transfer mechanism for detaching the tuft frame andm'oving it toyarn-delivering'position,'a single brake means for maintaining a normal rotationpreventing pressure upon the spool while the frame is suspended from the chains, and means for weakening the rotation-preventing friction upon the spool while the frame is supported by the transfer mechanism, while maintaining a sub-normal pressure on said friction means.

2. The combination with an Axminster tuft frame, its revoluble yarn spool and spool-engaging brake members, including two .coacting springs, one being movable independently of the other, and a transfer mechanism provided with means for engaging one of said springs and rendering it inactive when the tuft frame is operatively supported in the transfermechanism.

3. Means for applyinga. differential pressure to the revoluble yarn spool of an Axminster tuft frame comprisingfla plurality of springs exerting a braking pressure "simultaneously against the yarn spool to prevent, its' rotation, trans'f er mech- 'anisim,'and'means actuated through said transfer mechanism for rendering one of, said springs inactive in orderto lessen the frictional resistance to the rotation of the brake whenthe tuft frame is supported by. the transfer mechanism.

A. The combination .with an. Axminster. tube frame having a revoluble yarn supply spool and suspension means for 'rele asablyattaching the frameto a carrier, of a variable pressure single brake normally engaging the ,spool with a predetermined pressure to prevent rotation thereof while the frame'is attached to the carrier, trans- .fer mechanism for detaching the frame from the carrier, and means associated with the transfer mechamsm to weaken the pressure of said brake while allowing the brake to maintain a spoolretarding pressure on the spool to permit unwindmg ofthe yarn while the frame is heldby. the transfer mechanism. I

- WALTER BIXBY. 

